Container having lip protecting means



May 6, 1969 J. s. NICHOLSON CONTAINER HAVING LIP 1'-`ROTEG'J'.I1`IC:IMEANS Filed June 19, 1967 INVENTOR JOHN BNlcHoLSoN Qin, Mag @uwATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,442,416 CONTAINER HAVING LIPPROTECTING MEANS John B. Nicholson, Country Club Hills, v Ill., assignorto Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork l Filed .Iune 19, 1967, Ser. No. 646,815 Int. Cl. B65d 17/20; A47g19/22 U.S. Cl. 220-54 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE score linecover the exposed raw edge in the open position of the tear stripthereby preventing damage to a user of the container which mightotherwise occur in the absence of the covering means.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements incontainers, and more particularly to a novel container of theeasy-opening type.

It is conventional to form easy-opening containers having a tear stripwhich is not completely torn from the end panel but remains attachedthereto. Such tear strips land the normal pull tab attached theretocannot therefore be discarded as a unit. This reduces litter to someextent but increases the probability of persons being cut by the sharpraw edges of the tear strip which remains attached to the container.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to overcome thedeficiencies of existing easy-opening containers by forming the tearstrip in a manner wherein the exposed raw edge of the ruptured scoreline is covered in the open position of the tear strip therebypreventing cuts or similar contusions which might otherwise occur to auser in the absence of the covering means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel container havinga tear strip defined by a score line terminating at hinge means, thetear strip including a starting end portion remote from the hinge meansand a terminal end portion adjacent thereto, a pull tab secured to thetear strip starting end portion, and means underlyingly sec-ured to atleast the terminal end portion and projecting laterally beyond the scoreline thereof for covering the exposed raw edge of the tear stripterminal end portion in the open position thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel container ofthe type heretofore set forth wherein the length of the covering meansas measured along a longitudinal center line of the tear strip is atleast substantially equal to the radial distance between the hinge meansand the periphery of the container, and the starting and terminal endportions of the tear strip are disposed at diametrically opposite sidesof the container end.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an easy opening container constructed inaccordance with this invention, and

3,442,416 Patented May 6, 1969 illustrates a score line defining a tearstrip to which is attached a pull tab.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the container of FIGURE 1,and illustrates the tear strip in its open position and means coveringraw edges of the tear strip formed by the rupture of the score line.

FIGURE 3 is a highly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generallyalong line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and more clearly illustrates the coveringmeans in the normal closed position of the tear strip.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally alongline 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and more clearly illustrates the maner in whichthe raw edge of the tear strip is covered in the open position of thecontainer.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top perspective view of another containerconstructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates meanscarried by the starting end portion of a tear strip for locking beneatha seam of the container.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along a linecorresponding to the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates the tearstrip and its associated pull tab locked to the double seam generallyoutboard of the periphery of the container.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated a container formed in accordance with this invention andgenerally referred to by the numeral 10. The container or can 10includes a conventional can body 13 to which an end 11 is secured by aconventional double seam 12.

The can end 11 has an end panel 14 of which the central portion thereofis in the form of a tear strip 15. The tear strip 15 is delined by ascore line 16 having curled ends 17, 18, terminating adjacent hingemeans or a zone of hinging, generally designated `by the numeral 20. Thetear strip 15 includes a starting end portion 21 remote from the hingemeans 20 and a terminal end portion 22 adjacent the hinge means 20. Thestarting end portion 21 of the tear strip 15 is also disposed to oneside of the container axis while the terminal end portion 22 is disposeddiametrically opposite the end portion 21 and generally to an oppositediametrical side of the container axis.

In order to facilitate the tearing of the tear strip 15 from the endpanel 14, the starting end portion 21 is provided with a pull tab whichis generally referred to by the numeral 23. The pull tab 23 is formedfrom a single piece of sheet material and includes a connecting endportion 24 joined to the starting end portion 21 of the tear Strip 15 byin integral upset rivet 2S. An opposite end portion 26 of the pull tab23 is formed of a ring-like configuration to facilitate grasping andpulling the pull tab to rupture the score line 16 incident to theremoval of the tear strip 15. A generally U-shaped slit 27 permits thepull tab 23 to be initially pivoted in the direction of the unnumberedheaded arrow in FIGURE 3 incident to the rupture of the score line 16.

Means generally designated by the reference numeral 30 is secured to theterminal end portion 22 of the tear strip 15 in the normal or closedposition thereof, as is best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 of thedrawing. The closing means 30 is a separate piece of plastic or similarsoft, resilient material bonded or otherwise secured to the undersurfaceof the terminal end portion 22. The covering 30 is illustrated as beingof a generally rectangular configuration having edges 31 through 34. Theedges 32, 33 are disposed laterally outboard of the adjacent portions ofthe score line 16 while the edges 31, 33 are positioned respectivelyadjacent the hinge zone 20 and the axis of the end panel 11 and thecontainer body 13. It is also to be noted that the length of thecovering 30 as measured along the longitudinal center line of the tearstrip 15 is at least and slightly greater than the distance between thehinge means 20 and the periphery of the container body 10 defined by thedouble seam 12 for a purpose to be described immediately hereafter.

As the ring portion 26 of the pull tab 23 is pulled in the direction ofthe unnumbered headed arrow in FIG- URE 3 the end portion 24 of the pulltab 23 ruptures the leftmost portion of the tear strip 15 as viewed inFIG- URES l and 3 causing the progressive rupture of the score line 16and the pull tab is continually thereafter drawn upwardly and to theright as viewed in FIGURES l and 2 toward the nal position illustratedin FIGURES 2 and 4. As the tear strip 15 tears along the terminal endportion 22 the edges 32, 34 of the covering 30 temporarily distort asthe covering is progressively drawn through an opening formed in the endpanel 14. After the terminal end portion 22 has been completely removedfrom the end panel 14, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4, the pull tab23 is pulled down along the exterior of the container body 13 whichdisposes the starting end portion 21 of the tear strip 15 in this sameposition. The covering 30 and particularly tbe edges 32, 34 thereofwhich rebound after passing through the opening 0` completely cover theraw edges of the terminal end portion 22, thereby preventing these edgesfrom cutting the hands or face of a person opening or thereafter usingthe container 10 as intended.

As was heretofore noted, the length of the covering 30 is at least asgreat as the radial distance between the hinge means 20 and the exteriorof the double seam 12, and preferably equal to the slightly greaterdistance between the hinge means and the top of the double seam which isin effect the hypotenuse of the terminal end portion 22 in the fullyopen position shown in FIGURE 4. This assures that the edge portion 33projects beyond the double seam 12 thereby completely overlyinglycovering the raw edges of the terminal edge portion 42 as well as aforwardmost raw edge portion 35 of the starting end portion 21.

Referring now to FIGURES and 6 of the drawing, another container,generally designated by the reference numeral 40 is shown andcorresponds substantially identically to the container 10. However, inaddition to covering means 41 corresponding to the covering means 30` ofthe container 10, the container 40 includes additional covering means,generally designated by the numeral 42. The covering means or covering42 is of a generally semicircular configuration and is positionedadjacent a starting end portion 43 of a tear strip 44 defined by a scoreline 45. The covering 42 includes a straight edge portion 46 and anarcuate edge portion 47 outboard of the leftmost score portion of thescore line 45, as viewed in FIGURE 5 of the drawing. The purpose of thecovering 42 is to overlie or cover the raw edge formed by the rupture ofthe score line 45 adjacent the starting end portion 43 upon the removalthereof from the plane of the container end panel and the disposition ofthe starting end portion to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6. Due tothe positioning of the arcuate edge portion 47 outboard of itsassociated raw edge the latter raw edge as well as a medial portion 48is completely protected or covered and a user of the container 40 cangrasp the same about the circumference thereof without becoming cut uponany raw edge of the removed tear strip 44. It should be noted that thecovering or covering means 41, 42 substantially entirely cover theentire exposed raw edge of the tear strip 44, as is readily apparentfrom FIGURE 6 of the drawing.

The tear strip 44 is additionally provided with an inwardly directeddimple or protrusion 50 which is positioned at a predetermined point onthe tear strip 44 to interlock beneath the double seam (unnumbered) ofthe container, thus securing the pull tab (unnumbered) in the positionillustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawing. Thus, in addition to maintainingthe raw edge of the tear strip completely covered the tear strip 44 isprecluded from 4 inadvertently rebounding to a position other than thatillustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawing.

Each of the containers 10, 40 may, if desired, be provided withlip-protecting means in the form of upwardly offset beads adjacent thestarting end portions 21, 43, respectively, of the associated tearstrips, such as the beads 52, 53 of the end panel 1.1. Furthermore,while the containers 10, 40 have been illustrated as including coveringmeans 30, 41 which cover the raw edges of the terminal end portions ofthe associated tear strips, it is to be understood that the coveringscan be extended or constructed to entirely cover the associated tearstrips 15, 44. However, such construction is undesirable from thestandpoint of employing additional covering material and in lieu thereofthe construction illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawing is preferred.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown inillustrating the invention, it is to be clearlyk understood that variouschanges in details and arrangement of parts 'may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claimed subject matter.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a container body having a normally closed end,score line means defining a tear strip in said container end having astarting end portion and a terminal end portion, said tear stripterminal end portion being permanently attached to the remainder of saidcontainer end and adapted for hinging movement to an open position abovesaid end upon the rupture of said score line means thereby forming anexposed raw edge of the tear strip, a pull tab secured to said tearstrip starting end portion, means underlying secured to at least saidterminal end portion and projecting laterally beyond the score linemeans thereof for covering the exposed raw edge of said tear stripterminal end portion in said open position thereby preventing contusionswhich might otherwise occur to a user in the absence of said coveringmeans, said score line means terminates at hinge means for the hingingmovement of said terminal end portion to said open position, and thelength of said covering means as measured along a longitudinalcenterline of the tear strip is substantially equal to the radialdistance between said hinge means and the periphery of said containerbody whereby said covering means completely covers the exposed raw edgeof said terminal end portion in the open position thereof.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 Iwherein said closed end has acentral axis, said starting end portion is disposed to o ne side of saidcentral axis, and said terminal end portion is disposed at adiametrically opposite side of said closed end.

3. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said covering meanscovers only said terminal end portion.

4. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein separate additionalcovering means is underlyingly secured to said starting end portion andprojects laterally beyond the score line means thereof for covering theexposed raw edge of the tear strip starting end portion in said openposition.

5. In a container end of the easy-opening type having a tear striphaving a starting end portion and a terminal end portion, said tearstrip terminal end portion being permanently attached to the remainderof the container end, said tear strip being adapted for hinging movementto an open position above said end panel upon the rupture of said scoreline thereby forming an exposed raw edge of the tear strip, theimprovement comprising disposing said starting and terminal end portionsat diametrically opposite sides of the central axis of the containerend, means underlying at least said terminal end portion and projectinglaterally beyond the score line for covering the exposed raw edge ofsaid tear strip terminal end portion in said open position therebypreventing contusions which might otherwise occur to a user of acontainer carrying the container end in the absence of said coveringmeans, said score line terminating at hinge means for the hingingmovement of said tear strip to said open position, and the length ofsaid covering means as measured along a longitudinal center line of thetear strip is substantially equal to the radial distance between saidhinge means and the periphery of said container end whereby saidcovering means completely cover the exposed lraw edge of said terminalend portion in the open position thereof.

6. The container as defined in claim 1 including a pair of npstandingbeads formed from the material of said end to either side of an openportion defined upon the rupturing of the tear strip starting endportion.

7. The container as ydefined in claim 4 wherein said rst-mentionedcovering means and said separate additional covering means are spacedfrom each other in the normally closed position of said end.

8. The improvement in a container end as delined in 4 claim 5 includinga pair of upstanding beads formed from the material of said end toeither side of an open portion defined upon the rupturing of the tearstrip starting end portion.

9. The improvement in a container end as defined in claim 5 whereinseparate additional covering means is underlyingly secured to saidstarting end portion and projects laterally beyond the score line meansthereof for covering the exposed raw edge of the tear strip starting endportion in said open position.

10. The improvement in a container end as dened in claim 9 wherein saidfirst-mentioned covering means and said separate additional coveringmeans are spaced from each other in the normally closed position of saidend.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,216,609 y11/1965 Bogert 220-543,327,891 6/1967 Smyth 220-54 G'EORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-90.6

